After latest snow storm, warmer days finally ahead

Published: February 19, 2014 11:01AM

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- More snow is ahead on Wednesday for residents of northern New England, a day after a fast-moving storm brought about a foot to many communities, but rain and warmer temperatures could present new problems for other states.

A rain and snow mixture is possible Wednesday afternoon along the northern New England coast, but inland communities could see between 1 and 4 inches of snow, said Eric Schwibs, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine.

That won't be nearly as much as the snow from Tuesday's storm, which packed an unexpected wallop. Forecasts originally called for 4 to 7 inches in the heaviest hit, southern part of New Hampshire, but data collected by the National Weather Service show totals of 15.5 inches in Chichester, 14 inches in Rochester and 12.2 in Concord. Nearly 10 inches fell in Kennebunk, Maine.

In western Pennsylvania, a chain-reaction crash involving an estimated 50 vehicles closed a 13-mile stretch of westbound lanes of an icy Interstate 80 on Wednesday. The pileup near the Clearfield exit involved several tractor-trailers and one gasoline tanker, a Department of Transportation spokeswoman said. There were no immediate reports of serious injuries.

Elsewhere in the country, as warmer temperatures bring rain and melt snow, concerns are being raised about the potential for flooding and collapsing roofs.

In Chicago, the weather service says people who live along rivers and in flood prone areas should prepare for possible flooding as the mounds of snow in yards and along streets melt.

In Ohio, where meteorologists predict a Thursday thunderstorm, there could be up to an inch and a half of rain in parts of the state, causing flooding.

Flooding is not expected to be a concern in New England. Meteorologist Mike Kistner in Gray, Maine, said the warm-up is expected to be short-lived, with another bout of arctic air headed into the area after a few days. It's expected to last well into next week.

The weight of snow on top of buildings in Pennsylvania and Michigan has officials worried after several roofs and awnings have collapsed this winter. One person in southeastern Pennsylvania suffered minor injuries Tuesday when a home's carport caved in, and two women in western Michigan suffered injuries described as non-life-threatening when a roof collapsed Wednesday.

Temperatures above freezing in places where the storm passed through Tuesday should move up to the 40s to mid-50s for the rest of the week, said meteorologist John Cristantello, of the National Weather Service in New York.

In snow-struck northern New England, "Saturday will be a beach day," in the 40s, said Schwibs. "We've lowered our standards."

The latest storm came days after the Southeast and Northeast were paralyzed with heavy snow, ice and massive power outages.